Stephen
|power_type=Steam |vehicle=Locomotive |type=Tender engine |fuel_type=Coke |configuration=0-2-2 |wheels=8 |top_speed=30 mph |designer(s)=Robert Stephenson |builder(s)=Robert Stephenson and Company |year_built=1829 |railway=The Estate Railway |company=Ulfstead Castle |owner(s)=Sir Robert Norramby}}Stephen, nicknamed "The Rocket", is an early steam engine who works at Ulfstead Castle, where he takes visitors around the castle grounds and across the rest of Sodor. Biography *Click here to view Stephen's coverage. Personality Stephen is a jolly old engine with a positive attitude and a good sense of humour. He is a good-hearted and quick-witted engine and will not take any nonsense from engines like Spencer or Diesel. Some of the smaller engines look up to him for advice and he is always willing to get the job done. Technical Details Basis Stephen is based on Stephenson's Rocket. Though his design is based on a combination of the Rocket as originally built (such as angled cylinders) and its post-Rainhill modifications (such as a smokebox), Stephen has identified himself as the original Rocket, describing the Rainhill trials and his subsequent working years. The real Rocket is preserved at the Science Museum in London. Several replicas also exist, one of which is part of the National Collection. Stephenson's_rocket_reproduction_beamish.JPG|Stephen's basis Livery Stephen is painted golden yellow and black. He carries gold nameplates reading "Rocket" on each side of his boiler and his domes, whistle, exhaust pipes and boiler bands are painted bronze. During his early years and after his overhaul, Stephen had a plain black funnel, but after he was rescued from the mine, his funnel was painted white with a gold finial. Prior to being overhauled, Stephen had unpainted woodwork with black wheels. Due to being abandoned for so long, he was covered in patches of rust, and his wood was rotting. Appearances Thomas and Friends *'Season 22' - Forever and Ever (cameo), Thomas Goes to Bollywood (stock footage), Thomas in the Wild (stock footage) Trivia *In the seventeenth season episode, Percy's Lucky Day, it is revealed that Stephen has a lucky horseshoe resting on his exhaust pipe. *In both his Take-n-Play and pre-2018 Wooden Railway merchandise toys, his tender is unremovable. *Most merchandise lines show Stephen carrying the Ulfstead Castle crest on his tender, even though he only wore the crest during the castle's grand reopening. Not just that, some merchandise lines also depict him with his old black funnel. *Bob Golding gives Stephen a Northern English accent, reflecting his basis' origins. *In the Polish narration, Stephen's name is Sławek, which is also Skarloey's name in the same narration. *Stephen's name is likely derived from the last name of his builder, Robert Stephenson. **According to Sam Wilkinson, he originally had a different name. *Originally, after his restoration, Stephen would have gained a cab. In fact, some merchandise prototypes depicted him with a cab. *Stephen has gone through a few changes since his introduction: **When he was restored, he gained a lamp and front coupling. **In the nineteenth season, he gained a tail lamp. *His drive wheels have more spokes than that of the real Rocket's, whose drive wheels only have 12 spokes each. Category:Characters